The northern Great Lakes has a reputation for being final frontier for smallmouth bass fishing. Lake Erie especially, with its clear waters and many rocky habitat, has long been known as one of the best lakes for precise and structure-oriented angling. But underneath surface lies a world few talk about.
It is home of some of the lake’s least-celebrated species. Each is just as common than the bass, if not more so, and they are even easier to target once you learn how to find them. Knowing what’s below really alters your game, from wrestling current to thinking like the creature living down there, driven by their life on the bottom and their need to handle the cold.
Despite the chilly water temps, Lake Erie actualy has quite an array of catfish, which most folks consider warmwater river dwelling fish of muddy southern waters. However, a few varieties has adjusted well to the colder waters of the Great Lakes. They take advantage of the cooler depths when other food species is either sluggish or migrating.
This gives anglers action even during the hottest parts of summer as the bass move out to their deeper homes. They offer a unique challenge; not based on flash and speed, but scent and patience. It is a much more methodical approach to fishing where waiting pays off well.
Common Types of Catfish Found in Lake Erie
1. Channel Catfish
If you’ve spent any time on the lake, you’re likely familiar with its most recognizable resident (the channel catfish). Channel cats love moderately flowing current along edges of sand-bottomed pockets located outside intake structures or river mouths. They’ll eat just about anything if it crosses their path, and their whisker like parts called barbels assists them in finding prey in low visibility water.
As a result, these whiskered fish has a sensory advantage over sight hunting predators. They’re frequently pursued by anglers seeking to land them as they forage shallowly inside tributary waters during the summer. Be careful though, because this brawler is capable of breaking light tackle unless given proper respect.
2. Brown Bullhead
Catching plenty of catfish during the summer keeps boat moving from June to September. This is a Brown Bullhead. A smaller species of catfish (compared to the channel), the brown bullhead has a liking for muddy bottoms in slow-flowing water like wetlands or sheltered bays.
Brownies are much more abundant than the more aggressive channel cats. They do not hug the bottom as much, but they do tend to stay close to it so they can pounce on unsuspecting prey like aquatic invertebrates, insects, and small fish. And their dark coloring help them blend into their surroundings which is usually full of sediment and other debris.
The easiest way to attract them from beneath docks or log cover is with some simple gear and a nightcrawler. Because they can tolerates low oxygen that kills other species, they are a reliable bet when conditions might be harsh for anyone else. There are very few fish for these lakes that fill a role like this.
3. White Catfish
The white catfish. It is a thin wiggly fish designed to deal with really cold water and hang out all year long at the bottom of lake in places nobody else goes. They eat mostly tiny crustaceans and zooplankton instead of big fish.
This means that finding them tells you something about the health of the lake’s entire deep water ecosystem. Few fishermen will ever see them, as most are caught deeper than a hundred feet and only certain gear can get down there. It shows that depths of the lake are incredibly complex.
4. Blue Catfish
New to the scene on Lake Erie is another growing force, The Blue Catfish. These monsters is big enough to make anglers’ heavy-duty tackle sing. They’ve already established a healthy population on their own, not to mention the changes they’ve caused locally regarding regulations.
Blue Cats were brought in as a sport fish and they’ve done just that, become a sport fish. There are different size limits per area. And the bag limit varys from region to region too.
Anglers should know the limits. They tend to suspend in deep channels during the day and roam shallow at night feeding. So plan ahead when you want to fish ’em and base it on the sunset hours.
5. Yellow Bullhead
The yellow bullhead is uncommon and people often mistake it for the brown bullhead because they live in the same habitats. Unlike the other two types, it has a shiny, metal-like appearance on its sides; when viewed underwater, the shine on its sides catches the light different than the other species. Typically smaller than brown bullheads, yellow bullheads tend to be just as tough in poor oxygen conditions.
To find one, you’ll have to pay attention. Even up-close, they’re almost impossible to tell apart. The clear sign is where their lateral lines sits and how their fins are shaped.
Without closely inspecting the fish once it’s caught, most people won’t be able to tell the difference. It’s a minor detail that matters to biologists tracking population health. When fishing for catfish in Lake Erie, be prepared to use different approaches different than you would with bass.
For starters, use stronger hooks, heavier line, and baits that retain scent longer in colder water. Live shiners and cut bait is superior to artificial baits as these fish don’t rely nearly as much on sight as they do sense of smell. Patience is arguably the number one characteristic to have in the boat.
When these fish get spooked, they don’t react as quickly as a bass might; they’ll take their time investigating an offering and will ultimately commit to it slowly. Having patience allows you to appreciate the waiting period. You can turn it into an observational experience, which leads to more fun fishing.
The rewards of being beneath surface await those who choose to go out onto the lake.